


A Vision of Christmas

by MotherOfBeardedDragons



Category: Avengers (Comics), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Christmas, Clint Barton Is a Good Bro, Fluff, Gen, Natasha Romanov Is a Good Bro, Team as Family, The Avengers Are Good Bros, Tony Stark Is a Good Bro, Vision searches for the true meaning of Christmas, gratuitous references to A Christmas Carol
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-25
Updated: 2018-12-25
Packaged: 2019-09-26 21:11:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17149145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MotherOfBeardedDragons/pseuds/MotherOfBeardedDragons
Summary: Vision knows all of the facts about Christmas (history, social traditions, movies, music) but wants to really understand it. He's afraid of feeling like an outsider because of his lack of Christmas experience. But as Natasha and Clint point out, none of them have really had Christmases in the past. And as Tony points out, all that really matters is jumping into Christmas in the present.AKA, Vision searches for the true meaning of Christmas and Clint, Natasha, and Tony step in as his personal "ghosts" of Christmas past and present.





	A Vision of Christmas

**Author's Note:**

> Happy holidays everyone! I wanted to write something short for Christmas. This is just a small fluffy team bonding piece with gratuitous references to A Christmas Carol.

   Vision stared at the screen intently, analyzing all of the details as they flashed before him. As a superintelligent AI, he knew all of the facts about Christmas. He knew all of the facts about most things. He could tell you about the history of Christmas, from its pagan origins of Yule and the winter solstice, to the present day. He could tell you about the different cultural traditions of Christmas as well as about the pop culture like movies and music. He  _ knew  _ everything there is to know about Christmas, but what he was striving for was to understand it. 

   Everyone was at the tower and festivities were getting underway. Vision never felt more like a robot than in social situations like this. Everyone around him had celebrated Christmas their entire lives and it was familiar to them. He just wanted to really feel a part of the celebrations. He was so focused on his studying that he didn’t hear anyone enter the room. 

   “Hey Vis, you’re missing the festivities. What are you up to?” 

   Vision turned around to find Clint and Natasha standing behind him. “I was merely finishing my research on the Christmas holidays,” he replied. 

   “Do you really need to research things? I kind of thought you already had the facts down,” Natasha replied smiling. She could tell Vision had been nervous all day. She knew he was still learning about his emotions and social customs. He was trying to figure out where he fit in in the world. She could relate to that. 

   “I’m trying to better understand it. To really understand it. If that makes sense,” Vivion said, sighing. 

   “It does,” Natasha said nodding. “But I think the best way to learn about it would be to get out there and experience it.”

   “While I do agree, I want to make sure I know what I am doing. I want to celebrate properly. Everyone here has had plenty of experience with Christmas and holidays.”

   “Trust me, there’s no one ‘proper’ way to celebrate Christmas. Most of us aren’t really good with the whole Christmas thing anyway given our pasts,” Natasha said with a shrug. 

   “What do you mean?,” Vision asked. 

   “Allow us to act as the ghosts of Christmas past,” Clint said dramatically gesturing. 

   “You are referring to  _ A Christmas Carol _ by Charles Dickens,” Vision replied. He understood the reference, but didn’t get what Clint was talking about. 

   “I think what Clint is trying to say is that we all have backgrounds that didn’t allow us to really celebrate Christmas. I grew up in the Red Room. You’re familiar with it I’m sure,” Natasha stated evenly. 

   “I grew up in the circus. I had my brother but even when we weren’t fighting there were always shows to perform and work to do,” Clint said. 

   “Tony grew up having everything he could want, but his family spent most of the holidays at parties and social engagements. He was left with his butler,” Natasha explained. 

   Vision nodded. He was familiar with Tony’s past. He was, after all, created from JARVIS, who had been modeled after Jarvis, Tony’s butler and close friend. Vision knew he had been like family to Tony. 

   “Even when Tony was an adult he spent most Christmases drunk and partying. And trying to get the most expensive gifts,” Clint added. He had heard stories about Tony’s wild Christmas parties. He knew Christmas had been all about material things and partying for many years for the inventor. 

   “Bruce had a rough home life. Thor comes from a different planet. Steve and Bucky had next to nothing growing up. Stephen worked every Christmas. Wanda grew up in a war torn country. Matt was in an orphanage,” Natasha listed. 

   “See, none of us really did the Christmas thing in the past,” Clint stated. 

   “I was wondering where the hell you three went,” Tony said, entering the room. 

   “Mr. Barton and Ms. Romanoff were acting as my ‘ghosts of Christmas past’ and explaining everyone’s history with the holiday. Or lack of history,” Vision explained. 

   “Ok, first off, you don’t have to address everyone formally. I know it’s habit, but no need to stand on ceremony around here. Second, I thought I had told you to stop it with the Christmas research. You’re going to be fine,” Tony said, patting Vision on the shoulder. He knew Vision had been stressing and researching the past few days despite his reassurances. 

   “Clint and Natasha,” Vision began, looking at Tony pointedly, “were telling me about everyone’s pasts in order to reassure me that I am not the only one with no Christmas experience. 

   “Well, since I can’t remember most of my Christmases past, allow me to be the ghost of Christmas present,” Tony said, pulling up security footage. 

   “We’re going to head back to the party,” Natasha said. She knew Vision was in good hands with Tony. 

   “Don’t be too long. We’re going to start decorating gingerbread houses soon. Last year Thor got pissed his kept falling over and ended up smashing it with a hammer,” Clint added. 

   “Yeah, tell everyone we’ll be there soon,” Tony said distractedly. He was scrolling through the footage of the tower. Clint and Natasha exited as Tony found what he was looking for. “All right. So this is what everyone is up to this fine Christmas Eve,” Tony stated. 

   The first footage showed the common area. Thor, Sam, Bucky, and Steve were watching Christmas movies and eating out of a giant Christmas tin of popcorn. 

   The second footage showed the kitchen. Wanda, Rhodey, and Matt were making Christmas cookies and listening to Christmas music. 

   The third footage showed Bruce’s lab. He and Peter were video chatting with T’Challa, Shuri, Okoye, and Nakia. They were all laughing as Shuri tried to put Christmas decorations on one of Okoye’s rhinos. She had managed to get put a bow on its horn and drape some garland around it and was now trying to put a santa hat on it. 

   The fourth footage showed Stephen and Wong in the dining room. Clint and Natasha had joined them and they were drinking hot chocolate and getting the supplies ready to make gingerbread houses. 

   Tony closed the screen. “All right so what does all of that have in common?,” he asked. 

   “Everyone is partaking in traditional Christmas activities,” Vision replied. 

   “Well, yeah. What’s important is that everyone is partaking in Christmas activities  _ together _ . That’s the thing. None of us really did Christmas in the past, but all of us have chosen to celebrate it now. And we’ve chosen to do it together,” Tony explained. 

   “I understand,” Vision said after a moment. None of the physical things and traditions about Christmas mattered. It didn’t matter that he had no idea what he was doing or that he had never celebrated in the past. All that mattered was the present. 

   “Good. Now let’s go before Barton eats all the frosting,” Tony said, glaring at the footage of Clint eating the frosting out of the bowl. 

   “Glad you could join us,” Natasha said, setting down a bowl of sprinkles. 

   “So are we going to have a ghost of Christmas future,” Clint asked. 

   “Did you say Christmas future?,” Stephen said, walking over. He made a gesture with his hand and opened the Eye of Agamotto. 

   “NO!!!,” everyone shouted at the same time. The last thing they needed was some sort of time travel incident or break in the fabric of reality. 

   Stephen shrugged and closed the Eye. “Just thought I’d offer.”

   “While I do appreciate it, I hope that my future Christmases are much like this one. Spent in the company of those I care about,” Vision replied. 

   Tony made a gagging noise. “This is getting way too sentimental for my taste.”

   “God bless us, every one,” Clint said. Tony threw a bag of marshmallows at him, which he caught with a smirk. 

   Everyone gathered to make gingerbread houses, and Thor managed not to smash his. Vision smiled as he helped Wanda add a layer of gumdrops to the roof of a house. He felt like he was really starting to understand Christmas. 

 

**Author's Note:**

> I had originally set out to write a Christmas Petvengers story, but then I got this idea and wanted to write it. So I may try to do a Petvengers New Years story.
> 
> I couldn't decide between Natasha or Clint as Christmas past, so I did both. I knew Tony would definitely be Christmas present since he's the party ghost. This was only haphazardly proofread, so sorry for any errors. 
> 
> I hope everyone enjoyed it. I had fun writing it! And I hope everyone has a good holiday with those you care about <3


End file.
